Chapter 3 - The Name That Shouldn't Exist.
Adrian had known Daniel Rowe for nine years.
Daniel had stood beside Grace’s hospital bed when she signed the original charter creating the employee relief fund.
He had carried Grace’s casket with Adrian and four other men.
He had looked Adrian in the eye after the funeral and promised to protect her legacy.
Now his name sat on a bank authorization tied to a forged grant carrying Grace’s dead signature.
Victor’s voice became strangely calm.
“You should be careful about jumping to conclusions.”
Adrian looked up from the bank notice.
“I’m not jumping anywhere.”
He tapped the paper once.
“I’m reading.”
Elena hugged the canvas bag to her chest.
“Can someone please just tell me what’s happening?”
Adrian turned toward her.
“Someone appears to have used your name to request money from an employee emergency fund.”
“I never requested anything.”
“I believe you.”
Victor scoffed.
“Based on what?”
Adrian pointed toward the time sheet.
“Based on the fact that a woman who supposedly received eighteen thousand dollars six weeks ago is standing here begging you for three hundred dollars she earned.”
Victor opened his mouth.
Adrian did not let him interrupt.
“And based on the fact that the account used to receive that money was emptied almost immediately.”
He handed the bank notice back to Elena.
“When did you learn this account existed?”
“Yesterday.”
“How?”
“A letter came to my apartment saying the account was overdrawn.”
Elena gave a bitter laugh.
“I thought it was a scam until I called the bank.”
“What did they tell you?”
“That the account was opened online with my Social Security number, a picture of my driver’s license, and a pay stub from this restaurant.”
Adrian’s eyes shifted toward Victor.
Victor did not move.
Elena continued.
“I never gave the bank any of that.”
“Did you give this restaurant a copy of your license?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“The first night I worked.”
“Who copied it?”
Elena stared at Victor.
“He did.”
The dining room seemed to tighten around them.
Victor smiled, but the smile looked brittle.
“That proves nothing.”
“No.”
Adrian folded the bank notice.
“But it tells me where to start.”
He took out his phone and called the company’s general counsel.
The call went directly to voicemail.
He tried the head of internal audit.
Voicemail again.
He checked the time.
It was only 7:18 p.m.
Both executives knew he was conducting surprise site visits this week.
Neither should have been unreachable.
Victor noticed his expression.
“Problems?”
Adrian ignored him.
He dialed Daniel Rowe.
Daniel answered on the second ring.
“Adrian.”
His voice sounded relaxed.
“Funny timing.”
Adrian’s gaze locked on Victor.
“Where are you?”
“On my way home.”
“Come to Bellamy House.”
There was a short pause.
“Why?”
“Because I’m holding a relief-fund approval with Grace’s signature dated four years after her death.”
Silence.
Then Daniel exhaled slowly.
“Do not touch anything else.”
Adrian’s stomach went cold.
He had expected surprise.
He had expected outrage.
He had not expected an order.
“What did you say?”
Daniel’s tone changed immediately.
“I mean the documents may be evidence.”
Victor stared at the floor.
Adrian watched him carefully.
Daniel continued.
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
The line went dead.
Adrian lowered the phone.
Elena whispered, “Is he coming to help?”
Before Adrian could answer, a loud mechanical grinding sound came from behind the service corridor.
Maribel turned toward it.
“That’s the office shredder.”
Victor bolted for the hallway.
Adrian moved after him.
But Elena was faster.
She grabbed the strap of her canvas bag and shouted one sentence that stopped Victor at the doorway.
“The originals aren’t in here.”
May you like
Victor slowly turned around.
And in that instant, Adrian knew the manager had just confirmed that the papers were real.
